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Cancer Care Services

Diagnosis & Treatment

Uterine Cancer

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How is Uterine Cancer Diagnosed?

Diagnosis

If you come to your doctor with concerns about uterine cancer, they will discuss your symptoms, personal medical history, and family history with you. Afterward, they will perform one or more tests or examinations to achieve a diagnosis. Most endometrial cancers are diagnosed early.

Diagnostic methods include:

Physical exam

Your doctor will perform a pelvic exam to check for any lumps or changes in the lining or shape of the uterus.

Imaging tests

Your doctor may order an MRI, CT scan, or ultrasound to help diagnose potential uterine cancer. These kinds of tests can visually show changes in the uterine wall and help doctors further understand the size and severity of a tumor that has already been diagnosed.

Endometrial biopsy

If a physical exam or imaging test reveals something suspicious, your doctor will likely order a biopsy of the uterine wall. Your physician will insert a small, flexible tube through the vagina into the uterus to collect a tissue sample, which a pathologist will then examine under a microscope to see if cancerous cells are present.

Dilation and curettage (D&C)

Your doctor may order this procedure if an endometrial biopsy is not possible, or if they need to further examine the tissue of the uterus. Another way to remove a sample for inspection under a microscope, a D&C is a minor procedure in which the cervix is dilated to allow your doctor to insert a thin instrument to remove tissue from the uterus.

How is Uterine Cancer Treated?

Treatment

Your doctor will decide on a treatment plan based on your medical history, the severity of your disease, your lifestyle, and your preferences. If you are interested in having children in the future, your doctor will discuss your options with you to see if your treatment can preserve your fertility.

Treatments for uterine cancer, such as endometrial cancer, include:

  • Hysterectomy. Surgery to remove the uterus, and sometimes the fallopian tubes and ovaries — is the most common treatment for uterine cancers. Our surgeons often perform this procedure using robotic and laparoscopic surgeries, minimally invasive approaches associated with smaller incisions, less postoperative discomfort, and a quicker return to normal activities. Your surgeon will also remove lymph nodes in the pelvis to see if they contain cancer cells; this process, called staging, will determine if you need treatment other than surgery.
  • Chemotherapy. Some people with uterine cancers, especially sarcomas, may need chemotherapy in addition to surgery if cancer cells may have spread beyond the uterus or if there is a high risk of cancer recurring. Chemotherapy is the use of certain drugs to kill cancer cells.
  • Radiation. Sometimes radiation may be used to decrease the chance of cancer recurring. In very few cases, patients receive radiation therapy before surgery to shrink the tumor.
  • Targeted therapy. Molecular targeted therapies can sometimes be utilized for uterine cancers. Your doctor may obtain molecular testing from the tumor that can help identify specific genetic abnormalities that can be targeted with drugs.
  • Hormonal therapy. Lowering the level of estrogen in the body through hormone therapy can help shrink malignant tumors because the cancer cells rely on this hormone to grow and thrive.
  • Immunotherapy. This treatment helps your own body’s immune system fight back against cancer. Immunotherapy may be considered for advanced uterine cancers that have not responded well to other treatments.

FAQs

FAQs

The prognosis for endometrial cancer is favorable, with a five-year survival rate of 96 percent for those who are diagnosed when the cancer is still localized. If the cancer is diagnosed after it has spread regionally in the body, that rate falls to 71 percent, and then to 20 percent for those with cancer spread to distant organs. Uterine sarcoma has a poorer prognosis, with a five-year survival rate of 39 percent for all stages combined.

The most common type of endometrial cancer grows slowly and is often diagnosed at an early, more curable stage. More than 70 percent of patients are diagnosed when the cancer is still within the uterus. Uterine sarcomas, on the other hand, tend to spread quickly throughout the body.

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Trust NewYork-Presbyterian for Uterine Cancer Treatment

We understand how a diagnosis of cancer can affect your life and the lives of your loved ones. Your team includes other health care professionals you may need for the treatment of symptoms, as well as psychosocial support, rehabilitation, and nutrition during and after cancer therapy. Our world-renowned experts and state-of-the-art treatment centers will ensure you have a comprehensive, compassionate treatment experience.